How to Install MySQL 8.4 LTS on Ubuntu 24.04

MySQL is one of the most popular relational database management systems (RDBMS) in the world, widely used for web applications, business systems, and large-scale data projects. One of MySQL’s main strengths is its high performance, stability, and broad community support.

On April 10, 2024, Oracle released MySQL 8.4 Long Term Support (LTS) — a long-term version designed to provide stability and sustained support. MySQL 8.4 LTS will receive Premier Support until April 30, 2029, and Extended Support until April 30, 2032. This means users can rely on this version for production environments over the long term without worrying about compatibility issues or the end of security updates.

This article will guide you step by step through installing MySQL 8.4 LTS on Ubuntu 24.04, from the basic installation and security configuration to creating a new database and user.

System Preparation

Make sure all system packages are updated before installation:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

You can also install supporting packages such as wget and gnupg if they are not already available:

sudo apt install wget gnupg -y

Adding the MySQL 8.4 Repository

MySQL 8.4 is not available in Ubuntu 24.04’s default repository, so we need to add the official Oracle repository.

Download and add the MySQL repository package:

wget https://dev.mysql.com/get/mysql-apt-config_0.8.39-1_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i mysql-apt-config_0.8.39-1_all.deb

When the configuration window appears, select mysql-8.4-lts as the default version, then press OK.

After that, update the package list:

sudo apt update

Install MySQL

Once the repository has been added, run the following command to install the MySQL Server:

sudo apt install mysql-server -y

You will be prompted to set the root user password. Enter the password you prefer.

During the installation process, the system will automatically configure MySQL and start the mysqld service.

Starting and Checking MySQL Status

Ensure that the MySQL service is running properly:

sudo systemctl status mysql

If it is not running, start it manually:

sudo systemctl start mysql

Enable MySQL to start automatically on boot:

sudo systemctl enable mysql

Check the installed MySQL version:

mysql --version

Example output:

mysql  Ver 8.4.5 for Linux on x86_64 (MySQL Community Server - GPL)

Securing the MySQL Installation

MySQL provides a built-in script to enhance the database’s security. Run the following command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

The script will ask several questions, such as:

Validate Password Component: Choose Y to enable password strength validation.
Set the MySQL root password: Enter a strong password.
Remove anonymous users: Choose Y to delete anonymous accounts.
Disallow root login remotely: Choose Y to restrict root access to localhost.
Remove the test database: Choose Y to delete the test database.
Reload privilege tables: Choose Y to apply all changes.

Creating a New Database and User

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then create a new database, for example named project_db:

CREATE DATABASE project_db;

Create a new user and grant access to that database. For example, user bitnesia with password SecretPassword123:

CREATE USER 'bitnesia'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'SecretPassword123';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON project_db.* TO 'bitnesia'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

To test the connection:

mysql -u bitnesia -p

Common Troubleshooting

Here are some common issues that may occur after installing MySQL, along with their solutions:

MySQL Service Fails to Start

Problem:
The MySQL service fails to run.

Solution:
Check the service status:

sudo systemctl status mysql

If an error occurs, try restarting it:

sudo systemctl restart mysql

Check the error log:

sudo journalctl -xeu mysql

Cannot Log In as Root

Problem:
Error message: Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost'.

Solution:
Use safe mode to reset the root password:

sudo systemctl stop mysql
sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &

Then log in without a password:

sudo mysql -u root

Change the password:

ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'NewPassword!';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

Restart the service:

sudo systemctl restart mysql

Remote Access Not Working

Problem:
The user cannot access MySQL from another network.

Solution:
Edit the MySQL configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf

Add or modify the following line under the [mysqld] block:

bind-address = 0.0.0.0

Save the file and restart the service:

sudo systemctl restart mysql

Also, make sure the user has remote privileges:

CREATE USER 'bitnesia'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'SecretPassword123';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON project_db.* TO 'bitnesia'@'%';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Port 3306 Is Blocked

Problem:
Remote access fails because the firewall blocks the MySQL port.

Solution:
Open the MySQL port in the firewall:

sudo ufw allow 3306/tcp
sudo ufw reload

Conclusion

By following the steps above, you have successfully installed MySQL 8.4 LTS on Ubuntu 24.04, secured the basic configuration, and created a new database and user. The troubleshooting section should help you resolve common issues encountered during installation or configuration. This LTS version provides long-term stability and security updates until 2032, making it an ideal choice for production servers that require reliability and extended support.